Sign 22

EPOV
December 25th – 2010
After getting dressed in a fucking frenzy, Bella and I both grinned like fools when we heard Emma knock on the door.
Back in my pajama pants, I lunged for the bed as Bella opened the door, and then… well, the reason for me lunging for the bed was because I wanted to see it. It. Them. My two girls in their Christmassy pajamas, as they wore matching smiles… that they gave to yours fucking truly.
"Merry Christmas, Princess." I grinned, motioning for her to get the fuck over to me.
*Merry Christmas!* she replied, giggling like crazy as she bounced over to the bed, not stopping until she pounced on me. *Can we open presents now?* she asked, willing me to nod to her by nodding herself.
So fucking cute.
I sat her on my stomach, and maybe tickled her for a bit… you know, accidently, and then I looked over at Bella in question as she sat up, leaning against the headboard… She nodded with a smile.
Yes. Okay. Fuck yes.
Sitting up myself, I mirrored Bella's position, and leaned back against the headboard, still grinning stupidly, because I knew what we were about to do, and how it would make Emma's day. Mine, too. And as glanced over at Bella, it suddenly struck me that this, this would make her day, too. We were all on the same page. Wanting this. Wanting to be a family.
Enough with the goddamn emotions, Cullen!
Right.
"We need to talk to you first, Princess," I told her.
She's jumping on the bed now, by the way.
"Can you sit down, Sweetie?" Bella chuckled.
Emma jumped higher. Giggled louder.
"Sit down, Princess," I laughed.
Hot damn, the girl jumped even higher. Squealed, too.
I knew then how to get her to sit down, which is why I reached over Bella and grabbed her left hand… held it up for Emma to see.
Emma plopped down on her little butt.
*The ring! She said yes, Daddy! You said yes, Bella!*
My girl's the most gorgeous girl in the world.
I swear.
"Yes, I did," Bella laughed softly, scooting closer to hug my bicep, 'cause she sorta has a thing for it. My bicep, that is.
"Can you listen to me now, Princess?" I asked. With a nod, she gave me her attention, so I continued. "Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"
Her grin disappeared, and she nodded shyly, which again broke me a little, and I was happier than ever to make sure that that would never happen again. Never will she doubt who loves her most, or where she belongs. Not that she hasn't known before, but there's one more that sees my princess as number one now, and Emma will never doubt either of us. Bella and I will both be there now. Not just me. Bella, too.
*Do you remember the question you asked me, Sweetie?* Bella asked her, smiling softly at her.
Again, Emma nodded timidly. Not smiling.
"Can it be my turn to ask you a question now?" Bella continued, and I held my breath as Emma nodded for a third time, this time in confusion.
*Come here,* she signed, motioning for Emma to come to her, which Emma did eagerly, positioning herself on Bella's lap.
"Is it alright if I do this?"
"Um, of course," I replied, unable to tear my eyes off Emma.
Bella smiled, in thanks for some reason, and turned back to Emma.
This was it.
I didn't know what Bella had planned, but I knew I trusted her with all my heart, and again, I held my breath as I just watched.
"You know how you are Daddy's Princess? And his girl, and his daughter?" Bella asked her, using our sign-names for each other.
*Yes,* was Emma's reply as she gave a small nod. Still timid and uncertain.
"And you know that you're my Sweetie?" Bella continued, and I understood where she was going. She was a fucking genius. A saint.
Emma nodded again, looked up at Bella with her beautiful eyes, and I could see so much – confusion, hope, shyness, longing. It never ceased to amaze me how bright Emma was. She understood more than what I gave her credit for, and if there was something I knew she understood very well, it was feelings. Emma showed her feelings as well as she could read them. She can for instance read me very well, and I suppose it's logical. Without hearing, she's relying on facial expressions, and as her eyes flickered between me and Bella, I knew she could see the happiness in us, which made her hopeful. But like anyone, she needs clarification. She needs the words.
"My question for you, Emma, is if you want to be my Sweetie, my girl, and my daughter, too."
Oh, Jesus.
Nothing could have prepared me for the onslaught of emotions that hit me. Goddamn.
I swallowed hard, keeping my eyes on Emma, keeping my eyes on her wide ones, her really wide ones. And her little mouth, now shaped like an 'o.' And she looked at me then, almost in question, or maybe in assurance or reassurance or… perhaps silently asking me if this was real. I'm not sure. But I nodded to her, because yes, this is real. This is what Bella asked you, Princess.
Emma nodded then, still looking at me, and I smiled as everything dawned on her and she looked back at Bella who was… shit, crying. Happy tears, though. Very happy tears; that was evident, but my fucking lord, what an emotional day.
*You are my mommy now, Bella?*
Yep, very fucking emotional.
Christ!
"I really want that, Sweetie. Is that what you want, too?"
Furious nodding. Grinning. Hugging. Squealing. Giggling.
My two girls.
For the next hour, the three of us shared a family morning in our bed, and there were tickle-wars, jumping on the bed, and more goddamn emotion, but seriously, I don't think I've ever been this happy before, because when I sat back and watched as Bella and Emma came up with new sign-names for each other, I was yet again rendered speechless. It was just everything to me.
It was Emma who broached it and asked Bella if she could give her a new name. Bella was just as eager, wanting to include 'D' for daughter. So, after thinking about it for a while, the two grinned ear-to-ear as they came up with two new names to symbolize the relationship they would have for the rest of their lives.
My jaw ached painfully from all the smiling as Emma showed me her new name for Bella – the sign for 'Mom' or 'Mommy' followed by 'B' for Bella, and then it was Bella's turn. Her new name for Emma was the sign for 'Sweetheart' or 'Sweetie' followed by 'D' for Daughter, which she signed over her heart, and when I saw how emotional this was for Bella, I told them I needed to take a shower, because it was getting our of hand.
I was all over the place, and Christ, it wouldn't stop.
Bella understood, of course. She knew how significant this was, and one look at me told her all she needed to know. Sure, I needed a shower, but hardly that badly. For the shower's sake, anyway. But I needed to be alone. I needed to calm my ass down.
Stepping under the spray, I rested my forehead against the tile and just let the hot water soak me. I just stood there. Closed eyes. Thinking about… everything.
"She's not normal! She's… she's… she's deformed!"
"Get the fuck out, Heidi."
God, I'm glad she's gone. I'm glad she was never really there to begin with.
A part of me wishes she was miserable. A part of me wishes she knows what she's missing. Because my girl is perfection. Our girl. Yes, our girl. Mine and Bella's. Never Heidi's. Mine and Bella's girl. Shit, that's huge. Feels so fucking good. So fucking good.
Bella said it herself; Emma's my princess, and she will always be my little princess. Always my baby. But she's our girl. Our daughter.
Bella's sweetie.
Emma is ours… because we are parents. Roles we both deserve because of who we are. It has nothing to do with DNA. Not really, anyway. Bella is her mother because she just is. It's not just a label, it's a job. It's a commitment, a life. And Bella takes it seriously, she loves her, and takes pride in everything Emma does and who she is. And now, now I'm going to calm the fuck down so I can spend Christmas with my family.

*O*O*O*

"Seriously, baby, how many toys and clothes did you buy?" I laughed.
Bella and I were sitting in the living room, on the couch, watching Emma as she opened gift after gift after gift after gift… yeah, you get my point.
After my shower, we had enjoyed breakfast together- well, maybe not enjoyed, because Emma had been bouncing in her seat, asking us every thirty seconds if it was time to open presents yet. After twenty minutes, we caved and moved into the living room, and for the past half hour or so, Emma's been glued to the floor… by the Christmas tree.
Maybe not glued, 'cause there's been a shitload of bouncing.
"I only bought essentials," Bella huffed, trying but failing miserably to look annoyed with me.
I doubt anything could annoy us today.
Bella's eyes hasn't completely dried even once before next round of tears filled her eyes, and I don't know how many times she's thanked me since I got out of my shower. Thanked me for making her so happy, thanked me for trusting her with Emma, thanked me for asking her to marry me… Yeah, the woman is full of thanks.
So am I.
We all are.
We're simply completing each other.
And still, there's no describing that feeling.
"Essentials. Right. Sure," I snickered, leaning in to kiss her temple.
Another squeal had our attention and we looked over at Emma who was showing us a new dress- an essential… from Bella. However, for some reason, Bella's written my name on the gifts, too, and when I confronted her about it, she just shrugged and said 'It's us now. No you or me. Us.'
I couldn't exactly disagree with her then.
*So pretty! Thank you, Mommy! Thank you, Daddy!* she signed, showing us her extreme excitement by bouncing around like the cute little hurricane she is, and then she went back to opening essentials.
As if on cue, Bella buried her face in my chest as she got emotional again.
I knew Emma was using her knew name for Bella over and over to get used to it. Not the name necessarily, but the situation. It was big for her. Huge. And she was flying high on the feeling. Pretty much like Bella and me.
"You okay, sweetheart?" I asked softly, rubbing her back.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she croaked, keeping her face buried. "Just so happy."
I sighed in nothing but contentment. Bliss. "Me, too, beautiful. You have no idea."
Or maybe she does.
We do seem to be on the same page after all.

*O*O*O*

Huh.
Daddyward?
"What's this, Bella?" I asked, holding a big ass gift up.
I'm unloading the car with presents to bring inside, 'cause we're at my parents' house… or outside. It's cold as shit but Bella and Emma don't seem to care because the two of them are currently making snow angels.
"Well, what does it say?" Bella shrugged innocently, brushing snow off of her before sauntering over. "There's a note, isn't there?"
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Yes, and it says Daddyward."
"Mmhmm." She smiled. "It's from me and Emma. We needed a fitting name for ya. It's fitting, dontcha think?"
Damn, she's gorgeous. Cute when she's all teasing.
"So I'm Daddyward, huh?" I murmured, smiling as she reached me. "And what does that make you, baby?"
Her smile widened, as did mine.
"Mommyella?" she guessed.
Damn fucking straight.
She reached up, I leaned down-
"Are you guys just gonna stay out here all day?"
Rose. Thanks, sis. Thanks.
After planting a too chaste kiss on Bella's luscious lips, we focused on getting everything inside, including Emma who was now covered in snow. But Emmett took care of her, already making plans with her for our snow fight later. I'm so gonna kick his ass in that one, by the way.
The teams will probably be different this year, though. I'm suspecting the women will team up against the men.
Anyway, there were greetings, kisses, and hugs all over as we all stood in mom and dad's foyer. And then…
"EEEEEEEEEE!"
That's Mom, Rose, and Alice squealing. They just saw Bella's ring.
Bone crushing hugs, kisses, and congratulations.
Us men laughed then because Emma told everyone about her new sign-name for Bella, and I swear it sounded something like this: "EEEE-NAAAAWWW."
Don't donkeys sound a little like that?
Anyway, more hugs, kisses, and congratulation, and I gave myself a mental high five for keeping my own traitorous emotions under control. For once. Not that I have anything to hide and definitely nothing to be embarrassed about, but come on… It doesn't look good when you have Mom, Rose, Bella, and Alice squealing through their tears and then add a blubbering Edward to that.
No, I don't need that from Emmett, 'cause God knows he'd be on my ass if I broke down.
Alright, so after all the greetings and congratulations were over, we finally left the foyer, and it felt surreal when I watched Bella scoop Emma up as they were ushered into the kitchen with the rest of the women. Like really fucking surreal, and Jazz felt the same. That much was obvious as she watched Alice and Katie do the same.
This had really become our life.
"Are you okay, son?" Dad asked as I added the gifts from us under their tree, and I smiled as I added my own ones to the traditional light blue pile of boxes in the corner.
"Am I okay?" I chuckled, scratching the back of my head. "Um, how about ecstatic."
Once our gifts were added on the mountain, I took my seat where Dad, Em, and Jasper sat, nodding in thanks as Dad handed me a beer.
"You know what I mean." He smirked. "Big day."
To say the least.
I tipped the bottle back, contemplated my answer… and decided to go with honesty.
"I've been an emotional mess since this morning," I chuckled, shaking my head at everything that had happened since I woke up. "It's been overwhelming. In the best way, but… yeah, overwhelming."
"The three of you are perfect for each other," Emmett said, surprising the shit out of me by his seriousness.
Not that I thought he… well, I don't really know what I thought but he's the one you count on to make things easier, to make you laugh. And though far from everything is a joke to him, he still the one that lighten everything up with his easygoing personality.
"Emma and I wouldn't have been this happy without her," was all I could say.
I knew Emma and I made Bella blissfully happy, too, but a part of me will always stand firm and believe that I was the one winning that lottery.
The four of us continued talking for a while, both touching heavy and light subjects and I was thrilled for Jazz when he told us about Katie and that she was mending well and that she hadn't closed herself in or anything. I knew about the therapist Jasper had taken her to of course, and apparently the three visits so far had gone really well and Katie had been open and talked about whatever the therapist had asked her, which was the first step to make sure that she gets better. I also think it helped a lot to have the therapist come home to Jasper and Katie and have the sessions there to keep Katie comfortable, and Jasper readily agreed because we all know what Katie's experience with anything remotely close to doctors have been.
Lastly there was Alice, and no words can describe how thankful I am for her being there for Jazz and Katie. Her patience has been endless and now when things are finally looking up for them, she can already say that she has established an amazing relationship with Katie because it's all true. Thanks to her coming over as a 'friend' she has become just that; a friend. To Katie. Someone Katie is already relying on to some extent.
And I speak from experience when I say that that extent will grow.

*O*O*O*

"Wait, what's happening now?" Alice asked, confused as the men stood up.
We had just finished a fuckawesome Christmas dinner and now it was the men's turn to take over.
Tradition.
"The men takes care of the dishes as well as serving the dessert," Mom informed Alice with a sweet ass smile.
I snickered but said nothing as we cleared the table before heading for the kitchen.
There are many Cullen traditions, such as the men letting the women rest after dinner. The mandatory snow fights. The earplugs we use when Mom and Rose approach the blue Tiffany pile by the tree. There are Mom's cookies of course…and the Irish coffee she prepares while the rest of us is outside. Yeah, there's a bunch of stuff and what it all comes down to is that I'm thrilled to have Bella to share it with. And not just that, but also to have Jazz and Katie here. Hopefully it won't be the last time he, Katie, and Alice spend Christmas here.

*O*O*O*

"This is fucking insane," I muttered.
Dad, Emmett, Jazz, and I are standing in the living room and it's time to exchange gifts but right now we're thinking that we might run away and hide because Alice and Bella are just like Mom and Rose. Well, Bella isn't squealing but she's still excited as hell.
The reason?
Dad just uncovered the mentioned blue pile, and I swear I came close to punching my own sister because that bitch let out her excited shriek when I was standing right next to her.
"Edward Cullen," Alice hissed. Yes, hissed. And glared at me. What the fuck? "I may be new in this family but don't think for a second that I'm too shy to put you in place."
Uh…
Huh?
"What the fuck did I do?" I asked incredulously.
"That. That right there," she snapped, pointing a finger at my face. "You gotta stop cussing!"
Holy fucking shit.
What?
"I LOVE YOU, ALICE!" Mom and Rose exclaimed in unison.
I glanced over at Bella who was sitting with Emma in her lap, and that devil woman was hiding behind Emma's back, but I could see, damnit. I could see her shoulders shaking with laughter.
"Same goes for Emmett and Jazz," Alice continued, nodding firmly. "Don't you effing understand that the girls can read you?" she spat, motioning at Emma who was now on the floor, playing with Katie.
I was gaping. So was Emmett and Jazz.
Alice wasn't done. Oh, no she wasn't done. "Even you, Bella, you need to quit it," she said, facing a Bella who was biting her lip to stop from laughing. Alice turned back to us guys, pointed her finger at us. "But you men, you're the worst. Always dropping the F-bomb. Well, that stops now."
With a huff she turned her back on us and talked about… something… with Mom and Rose.
Well, shit.
Is that the kind of woman Alice is?
FUCK!
I already have a goddamn sister, I don't need another!
"You're going to marry her one day," I heard Dad mumble under his breath to Jazz.
"I uh… yeah… you might be right," Jasper coughed out.
Emmett and I were still gaping. You know, jaws dropped and all that.
But then I sorta snapped out of it… a little at least… as Bella came over and snaked her arms around my waist.
"Yeah, that's Alice," she chuckled quietly. "You gotta love her, right?"
Humph.
I guess…maybe…I mean, I suppose she has a point, but… shit!
"The jury's still out on that one," I huffed stubbornly.
Instead I focused on the woman in my arms… and her luscious lips, of course, cause they're all kissable and shit.
"Love you," I mumbled as I nibbled on her bottom lip.
Fiancée.
"Love you, too, baby," she said, smiling into the kiss.
"Alright, alright," Emmett chuckled. "There are kids here."
"Oh, so you're aware?" was Alice's dry remark.
Christ, she's another one that's all fire, isn't she?
The guys and I are fucked.
Just saying.
Mom and Dad announced that it was time then and we all took our seats around the living room as Dad took his spot next to the tree.
Another tradition.
"I love this," I heard Bella murmur softly.
I hugged her closer, knowing that she referred to everything around us, and I couldn't agree more.
The only thing missing was Bella's mom, and hopefully I'll meet her soon.
Bella and I had talked about it briefly this morning and we decided to fly her out here soon to share the news of our engagement… and of course the news about her and Emma. Apparently Renée knew all about my princess from Bella's stories and I was relieved and happy to hear that Renée couldn't wait to meet her. Emma, that is.
I told Bella that I definitely didn't mind flying out there for a visit. It would be a chance to see where she grew up, but Bella grinned and said that we could do that another time because her wish was for Renée to see that she had more here in New York than in Forks. Yes, she wants her mother to move here, and for some reason I can see it happen. My Bella is a force to be reckoned with after all.
The gift exchange started then and while everyone around me were loud and excited, I stayed quiet. Just absorbed it all. Savored it. Jasper was the same.
I grinned, smiled, chuckled and shook my head in amusement but said nothing. I enjoyed everything. Even my sister's annoying shriek when she opened her gifts from the Tiffany pile. Alice was the same. Shit, that little hyper-chick even cried as she hugged me, Em, Jazz, and Dad. Everything was perfect.
Emma and Katie loved being the center of attention of course and they received so many things that they could be buried and never found. Yeah, essentials my ass. We're talking clothes, toys, the laptops from Mom and Dad, movies, accessories, girly stuff, you know, and Jazz and I growled when Alice and Rose said, "They need it. They're big girls now." Sorry, but no. My princess will never need nail polish – even if it's made for kids – and she will never ever need bubblegum flavored lipgloss.
Just… no. No.
My beautiful fiancée was on my side… sorta at least… and she stated that Emma can use the pink nail polish on special days, and the lip gloss because she explained to me that it was more of a chapstick, so I sorta surrendered.
Jazz and I declared that only birthdays were 'special days' then.
My moping ended when Bella and Emma gave me the huge box I had carried in earlier, and I laughed as Emmett looked at in nothing but envy. And the envy grew.
Because Bella gave- sorry, Bella and Emma… shit, they gave me a family holiday.
For the three of us.
Inside the box was a bunch of Disney-stuff that Emma gladly 'took care of' for me, but on the bottom… Just fucking shit, how can I get emotional over something like Disney?
I know why.
It's not about Disney.
It's about the fact that the three of us are going to Disney World next spring. One week just the three of us.
As the family we are.
I swear I'm the luckiest bastard to ever walk this earth.
And I told Bella so.
She just said, "You and Emma are my life."
I probably squeezed her half to death when I hugged and kissed her in thanks for everything she is but she didn't complain, and I found myself hoping that I wouldn't have to wait forever until she became my wife. I'll wait forever for her but yeah, a part of me hopes that she doesn't wanna wait until after college.
Little did I know at the time that Bella would become my wife eight months and twenty days later.
On Bella's birthday.